Can't Help
by queencestqueen
Summary: [Written after watching Season Three, Episode 19, "Broken Arrow."] A little ficlet I wrote about a conversation I imagine happening between Oliver & Felicity in the next episode...with a Queencest twist, of course.


**Title:** Can't Help  
 **Author:** QueencestQueen  
 **Pairings:** Oliver/Thea (aka Queencest and/or Tholiver)  
 **Rating:** G (or K, depending on the rating system)  
 **Summary:** [Written after watching Season Three, Episode 19, "Broken Arrow."] A little ficlet I wrote about a conversation I imagine happening between Oliver  & Felicity in the next episode...with a Queencest twist, of course.  
 **Notes/Warnings:  
** \- Italicized words are emphasized words.  
\- Implied sibling romantic feelings.  
 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of this author. This author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Don't go." Oliver sighed. He'd expected this. It wasn't the first time that the blonde had tried to talk him out of doing something dangerous in order to protect people, protect Thea. He would not be swayed.

"I have to."

"You'll be giving Ra's exactly what he wants."

"It doesn't matter. Thea's dying, Felicity, and I'm not going to just stand by and let that happen. If I do what he wants, he'll save Thea. I'll do whatever it takes to save my sister." This was a sentiment he'd expressed before and now, it was no less true. He wasn't about to let Thea pay for his foolishness with her life.

"I know you love your sister, Oliver; we _all_ know you love your sister, but maybe," Felicity bit her lip as hesitation crept into her brain, "maybe it's time to let her pay for her mistakes."

The man turned away from the table where he was examining the hospital blueprints. His voice was ice cold as he said, "Excuse me?"

The techie screwed up all her courage and pulled herself to her full height. "Time and again, you've cleaned up for her or literally sacrificed your life for her. Why do you have to keep being the one to lose, over what she's done?"

"She didn't do anything," Oliver reminded her in a biting voice, "Ra's attacked her because of me. It had nothing to do with her."

Felicity growled, frustrated by Oliver's thickheaded nature, "She killed Sara, Oliver! And you and Laurel, both of you, are like 'oh, Thea killed her? That's okay then,' but it's not! Karma has finally caught up to her and you're rushing to fall on the sword for her...again."

"This isn't about Sara, Felicity. This happened because I was foolish enough to believe I could turn down the Demon." Oliver turned back towards the table, hoping his lack of eye-contact would end this conversation. He had more important things to deal with.

"If Thea hadn't killed Sara, you never would have had to fight Ra's and he never would have made the offer."

Oliver slammed his fist down on the table and everything atop it shook from the force of it, "Thea didn't do it; Malcom forced her hand."

"She knew what he was, what he'd done, and still she was foolish enough to trust him." That was something that Felicity had never understood. He'd attempted to demolish the Glades and still the youngest Queen had blindly trusted him. It was a foolish decision and, because she'd made it, a series of ill-advised choices followed.

"She wasn't foolish. She had no one else to trust." Oliver defended, " _Roy_ was lying to her because I told him to do so. _I_ was lying to her. And, despite everything he's done, he's still her father. Of course she trusted him."

Felicity was silent for a moment, just looking at him in that way that she had, and the archer knew that whatever she was about to say it wasn't going to be good. "You just can't help coming to her defense, can you?"

"She's my sister, Felicity, and for you to even suggest that I let her die when I could save her by accepting Ra's offer..." Oliver took a steadying breath, "You don't have any siblings; you have no idea what it's like."

"You're right," she said, her tone turned flat, "I don't know what it's like, but even if I did, there's no way our relationship would be anything like you and Thea."

The older man froze, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I've suspected for a while, but I told myself it couldn't be. That I was drawing conclusions when there were none to draw." A sharp, cutting, laugh tore from her lips, "Even when Roy would ask me, usually after several drinks freed the thoughts from his mind, I'd make excuses or tell him that he was just seeing things."

She sighed and the sound was so loud, so defeated, "But its true, isn't it? All of this, this drive to defend, to protect, it's not...it's not just because she's your sister, is it?" Her voice took on the tone of an adult comforting a frightened child, "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

He couldn't say the words. The fear of condemnation held his tongue and kept his back to her; Oliver nodded.

There was a singular moment of silence and then her chair gave a slight squeak as she turned back to face her computer monitors, "Then you better hurry. I'll use the security camera feeds to help you get her out of the hospital without detection."

Determined, Oliver took the stairs two at a time and pretended not to hear the sniffling behind him. He couldn't help who he loved.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just a conversation I couldn't get out of my head.


End file.
